CHONGQING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Cola, a popular beverage among China's younger generation, has gained a new, gentle and lasting herbal flavor thanks to the consistent innovation efforts of a domestic time-honored brand.
In the workshop of Tianfu Cola in Banan District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, this herbal cola is being produced continuously and then sold nationwide, with the factory's annual order volume growing by more than 60 percent in 2024.
"Tianfu Cola has a history of over 40 years and is a taste memory for several generations of Chinese people," said Zhou Jinliang, 50, a local resident. "Because of the herbal ingredients in the drink, we even used to consider the cola as a 'remedy' for colds back in the day."
Its secret lay in a special formula, which drew on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions and added several herbs, such as White Peony Root and Chinese Angelica, to cola. This combination gave Tianfu Cola both an international taste and the health benefits of TCM.
Upon its launch, Tianfu Cola quickly won the favor of consumers, with annual sales reaching over 200,000 tonnes, accounting for about 75 percent of China's cola consumption market at that time.
In 2021, Tianfu Cola upgraded its packaging design, brand positioning and marketing strategies to better adapt to the trendy tastes of today's youth, adding even more healthy herbal plants to create a unique "Chinese cola."
"To meet market demand, Tianfu Cola has been making attempts in recent years to strengthen its connection with young consumers," said Jiang Lin, chairman of Tianfu Cola (Chongqing) Beverage Co., Ltd. The company has launched new products, such as sugar-free cola and lychee-flavored sparkling water, to meet the diverse needs of younger consumers.
Tianfu Cola is also working with China's well-known pharmaceutical company, Taiji Group, to further ride the herbal tea wave and cash in on the popularity of TCM. Their co-developed cola includes Agastache rugosa, a TCM ingredient renowned for its ability to provide effective protection against heatstroke in summer. This new product has generated sales exceeding 1 million bottles since its launch, winning the hearts of consumers across the country.
Chinese consumers' recognition of domestic time-honored brands is increasing, while such brands are also riding high on the growing market demand for healthy drinks by adding suitable TCM ingredients.
Qingdao Laoshan Mineral Water Co., Ltd. has added white flower snake grass, another TCM herb that reduces and relieves summer heat, to its local mineral water, launching herbal sparkling water. Since the 1960s, the product has been exported to countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
In recent years, with the help of social media, Laoshan White Flower Snake Grass Water has once again become a hot topic. Many online influencers have specifically launched video content to review its taste.
The beverage produced by Laoshan has also attracted the attention of the world's leading coffee brand, Tims. In April 2024, the two companies collaborated to launch a cold brew coffee product, adopting Laoshan White Flower Snake Grass Water during the coffee-making procedure.
Domestic beverage enterprises need to innovate the development models to expand their brand influence, while time-honored brands must integrate new concepts, such as healthcare, to better meet the needs of consumers, according to Li Quan, deputy director of the technical and economic research center of the Chongqing municipal institute of comprehensive economic research.
"Today's youngsters are increasingly concerned about sugar reduction and other healthy dietary concepts. To produce healthy drinks has always been our pursuit," said Jiang. As the demand for healthy drinks keeps growing, the company will continue to increase research and development investment to create more healthy options.
Beverages featuring traditional Chinese health concept are also increasing their presence in supermarkets across China. For example, Chi Forest, another Chinese beverage company, has added red bean, coix seed, goji berry and mung bean to its popular sparkling water products. Drinks that adopt common TCM ingredients like longan and tangerine peel also sell well in supermarkets.
In addition to enterprises, many medical institutions are also developing TCM milk tea for non-profit purposes. This not only allows more young consumers to experience the charm of TCM, but also provides a richer taste when drinking milk tea.
Since 2023, Chongqing Jiangbei Hospital of TCM has blended TCM processing techniques with modern food production to attract a younger demographic.
"Milk tea is a favorite among young Chinese people. We hope it can act as a bridge for them to gain more knowledge about TCM and to gradually accept TCM," said Liao Changying, director of the hospital's nutrition department. ■